Main Entry: hu·mil·i·ate
Pronunciation: hyü-mil--t, yü-
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -at·ed; -at·ing
Etymology: from Latin humiliatus "made to lose pride or self-respect," from earlier humiliare "to make low or humble," from humilis "low, humble," from humus "earth": to cause a loss of pride or self-respect : HUMBLE- hu·mil·i·a·tion /-mil---shn/ nounWord History In modern English we sometimes say that a person who has been criticized or humiliated has been put down. We speak as though the person had actually been forced to the ground or made to bow down in front of someone else. The origins of the word humiliate itself also suggest the idea of physically putting someone down to the ground. Humiliate can be be traced back to the Latin humus, meaning "earth, ground." From humus came the Latin adjective humilis, meaning "low, humble," which later gave rise to the verb humiliare, meaning "to make low or humble." The English humiliate derives from Latin humiliare.